Nursing - Mental Health

This degree is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Each year, the course meets the NMC requirement of 50% theory and 50% practice. Following successful completion of the course, including the NMC required final placement in Year 3, students are eligible to achieve professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Students can be nominated for The Student Nursing Times Awards or the newly formed RCN Scotland Nurse of the Year. These awards celebrate the very best in student nurses and nurse education, recognising educational establishments and honouring those who are committed to developing new nursing talent. The University of Stirling has won Student Nursing Times Awards in 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2021. Catherine Watson was awarded Student Nurse of the Year 2022.

SQA Highers
BBBB

GCE A-levels
BBC

IB Diploma
28

BTEC (Level 3)
DMM

Essential subjects
One Higher or A Level (or equivalent) in Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Mathematics

Widening access students
Care-experienced applicants will be guaranteed an offer of a place if they meet the minimum entry requirements and successfully pass an interview.

Scottish HNC/HND

Year one minimum entry - Bs in graded units.

Access courses

University of Stirling access course - for mature students only. You must pass the course with 50% or above.

SWAP Access course - for mature students only.

Email our Admissions Team for advice about other access courses.

Foundation Apprenticeships

Considered to be equivalent to 1 Higher at Grade B

Essential subjects

To include one of Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics at Scottish Higher level or equivalent at Grade B, if HNC or Access course is not science related. Essential subjects must have been taken within the last five years to ensure your required subject knowledge is current.

English, Welsh and Northern Irish HNC/HND

Merits and Distinctions

English access course

Access to Higher Education Diploma - 60 credits with a minimum of 45 credits at level 3. Email our Admissions Team for advice about other access courses.

Essential subjects

To include one of Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics

View the entry requirements for your country

Advanced entry may be possible depending on your qualifications. We can only consider advanced entry applications for Year 2 and not Year 3 entry.

What other criteria are required for BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing?

The personal values and qualities that you’re able demonstrate in your personal statement will be considered. Explaining why you’re choosing Mental Health Nursing should be evident. Voluntary or paid experience in a care setting would be useful. We advise you to show the links between the knowledge, values and skills gained in these experiences and your reasons and abilities for Mental Health Nursing. Other experience, which demonstrates your commitment and your ability to work in a team, is also valuable.

References required

References are required. Please provide an academic reference. If this is not possible, we can accept an employer’s reference. Friends as referees are not accepted. If you’re applying to transfer from another institution, we require a reference and a transcript from that institution.

Practical experience

You must be committed to go on practice learning experiences in conjunction with our practice partners. These may cover an extensive geographical area and so you should be expected to be able to travel to all practice areas within NHS Forth Valley It is expected that you make your own arrangements to accessing these experiences. There is some reimbursement from SASS for travel costs.

You should also be aware that holiday periods are pre-determined within the course.

Will there be an interview?

If your application proceeds, then you will be invited to attend a compulsory interview.

Disclosure Scotland check

All applicants are subject to a Disclosure Scotland check. This will show all spent and unspent criminal convictions including (but not limited to) cautions, reprimands, final warnings, bind over orders or similar and, to the extent relevant to this course, may also show details of any minor offences, fixed penalty notices, penalty notices for disorder.

Previous criminal convictions may not exclude you from entering the course, but all convictions must be declared, and some may result in your application being unsuccessful.

Fitness for taking part in practical placements

All applicants must be passed fit by our occupational health team. We’ll ask you to fill out a questionnaire and also to visit our team on campus.

To protect your privacy, neither of these checks will normally be carried out until an offer has been made to you.

Some applicants may have varying levels of prior certificated or experiential learning. You’ll be assessed on an individual basis, according to the current University of Stirling Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Policy. RPL is facilitated within the Faculty and this may result in a shortened programme of study for you. Please get in touch to discuss any prior learning with a member of our recruitment team. We can only consider advanced entry applications for Year 2 and not Year 3 entry.

If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:

• IELTS Academic or UKVI 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in writing and 7.0 in speaking, listening and reading.
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) 67 overall with a minimum of 62 in writing and 67 in speaking, listening and reading.
• IBT TOEFL 94 overall with 19 in reading, 24 in writing, 20 in listening and 22 in speaking.

Pre-sessional English language courses

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this course, our partner INTO University of Stirling offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to this degree.

Find out more about our pre-sessional English language courses

See our information on English language requirements for more details on the language tests we accept and options to waive these requirements.